Sunday 29 August 2021
E-Paper
Mind
Over
Body
An Olympian cry for
mental health in sports
By Priyangwada Perera
Time Magazine reported how,
“Simone Biles threw the Olympics off
its axis.” It is no secret. She pulled out
of the women’s gymnastics team event
to ‘focus on her mental health and
physical safety’. This became none
other than a defining theme in the
world’s biggest sporting festival. Due to
her courageous choice, the name Biles
is openly used as a sign of appreciation
and adoration. Her courage to come
out with hushed issues created an
opportunity to create a discussion,
raise awareness and also, a move to
take positive action.
As long as these things are
secretively swept under the carpet, we
would see Olympics or any sports
festival or competition for that matter
as celebrations of talent. It would not
be an exaggeration to say that 2020
Tokyo Olympics was one big platform
that gave voice to the oft forgotten
issue of mental health. Of course we
have seen plenty of players getting
injured. Many an Olympic dream has
died due to falls, sprains, and broken
limbs. That is only normal. Olympic is
all about conquering fears, we say. But
did we ever speak of athletes fighting
for their sporting dream with broken
hearts? Such a story hardly ever came
out. If it did, it was a story of triumph
where all odds were beaten. They are
athletes, sports stars – they can
overcome anything, we tend to think.
Yet, this time in Tokyo, the world could
not close eyes on the very human
image of sports heroes and heroines.
One after the other we saw the lives of
these athletes are not the few seconds
or the half hour we see their
performance. Psychologist Jessica
Bartley, who was also the director of
mental health services for the US
Olympic and Paralympic Committee
and her team are reported to have
received about 10 requests daily,
during Olympic Games. All these were
requests for support for the mental
health needs of the athletes. It is
interesting to find out that most of
these calls were not directly from the
athletes. But was, “A tip from someone
around the athlete, who alerted us to a
situation.” Even with Bartley’s team
which was the first to travel with team
USA to specifically support the mental
wellbeing of the athletes, things were
far from rosy.
Sports psychology
With this ‘off its axis’ Olympic focus,
it was only apt to go to a deeper study.
Can these be looked at scientifically?
Dr. Samantha Nanayakkara
Had a Sri Lankan done the same,
would she be looked at with the same
understanding and knowledge? There
is little doubt of a bigger chance of
them being insulted. They did not
‘chicken out’ of a tough competition.
Problems are far more severe. Is there
any way to get specific help for
athletes? To get this right, we spoke to
Senior Lecturer in Sports Studies in
the University of Colombo Dr.
Samantha Nanayakkara. Her
expertise being sport psychology and
sociology of sports, she has served as
the chief psychologist for several
national sports teams for South Asian,
Asian, Commonwealth, and Olympic
Games. “When it comes to sports,
having a healthy and trained body is
not enough. It is about a balanced
development of the body and mind in
increased human energy,” Dr.
Nanayakkara said. Sports psychology
comes under applied psychology and
in lay terms it shows the way to drive
for success. “One is to reduce stress
and manage tension during the
competition. This is the key to enhance
performance,” she said. “What we
forget is the importance of a strong
mentality, based on a strong
intellectual ability. Or else how can
one make decisions in a split second?
There is a lot of observing, thinking,
judging to be done when dealing with
an opponent. All should be done
instantly while performing your best.
Only great self-confidence can support
you in this. For that, one needs an
extremely tough mind,” she
elaborated.
Dr. Nanayakkara summarised it all
to, “As long as we have not given up in
our mind, we are in the game.”
Qualified professionals prepare them
mentally. However, the qualification
should be enhanced by the ability to
apply to real-life situations to the
sporting environment. “A sports
psychologist guide athletes by putting
performing theories to practice. This
helps reduce performance anxiety.”
Referring to the Lankan context, Dr.
Nanayakkara said, the only place to
offer specific psychology courses is the
National Institute of Sports Sciences
(NISS), though hardly any federation
comes to them with the sports teams.
She pointed out how the national
netball team collaborated with NISS
parallel to team training and ended up
winning Asian Games.
Be wary of unqualified
motivators
Dr. Nanayakkara was sceptical and
warned against fake motivational
speakers who falsely charm and
charge thumping amounts from
teams, doing nothing. Sometimes,
even parents, friends, and spectators
can motivate players. Sports
psychologists also relieve one’s
performance anxiety. “When
performance anxiety is erased and an
athlete has a winning attitude, it works
wonders. Once these things are
complete, we know that Sugath
Thilekeratne beat Michael Johnson in
the run he did after eating a mere
banana. It is not what you feed your
stomach but your mind,” Dr.
Nanayakkara said.
‘Twisties’ and ‘Yips’
With his MSc in Sports and Exercise
Medicine from London, apart from his
MBBS, and MF SEM from Ireland, the
pioneer Sports Physician and also the
Director General of Sri Lanka Anti-
Doping Association Dr. Seevali
Jayawickrama was the best to speak to
us. Taking the example of Biles who
had a condition called Twisties, Dr.
Jayawickrama explained, “It is a
condition which causes performance
block. There, your mind and body do
not sync. In any sport and especially if
you are a gymnast this is going to
create great havoc. How does it feel to
not know whether you are in the air,
where you are going to land and
whether you are going to land on your
feet in the perfect stance or just land
on your hands or head down? Where
your body and mind refuse to
coordinate, it causes havoc. It can do
more damage than missing a mere
medal. It can severely injure you and
damage your entire career.” Dr.
Simon Biles
Jayawickrama spoke of both Twisties
and Yips, both seemingly silly words
which are more than serious. “Twisties
are described by gymnasts as a mental
block which can lead to a loss of
spatial awareness. This can be extra
risky and dangerous when they
perform manoeuvres. Spatial
orientation which is crucial to a
gymnast is lost in this condition,” Dr.
Jayawickrama put the situation in the
context. You are 15 feet up in the air or
performing upside down, how would a
spatial disorientation feel like. It is a
miracle that Biles landed on her feet,
concluding the performance.
“Somewhat similar, most Golfers
suffer something called Yips. To make
it simple, it is involuntary muscle
movements in the wrists. Though they
can be neurological, mostly they are
associated with performance anxiety,”
Dr. Jayawickrama explained. It is not
something like a onetime panic attack.
That is why we saw Biles, the best
gymnast of all times, withdrew from
several events starting from the team
vault where she experienced Twisties.
“How one has to deal with such a
problem is no easy matter. A five-
minute break and a Kit-Kat will not
solve the matter.
Mental health is
paramount
“Biles is a celebrated and successful
gymnast and she had to live up to it. In
2018 she also revealed that she was a
victim of sexual abuse. The US
gymnastics team doctor was the
perpetrator and the repercussions may
have affected her,” he said. She was
there to represent her nation. She
cannot tell the spectators who cannot
even do a forward roll that she has a
spatial disorientation with ‘the weight
of the world’ on her. At most she would
be seen as mentally-challenged. The
pressure to compete is so immense.
There is a big gap between physical
health which can most often be seen
and the mental wellbeing that stay
hidden. As heartbroken as you would
be when a football player gets hurt,
you would never expect him to play.
“Upon her strength to come out with
her fears and doubts, several
gymnasts complained and voiced the
same. It was a courageous act on her
part,” Dr. Jayawickrama said. Who
gets to see what goes inside an
athlete’s mind? Mental strength,
mental toughness is the most
important. It is not as if these world-
class athletes do not know this. But
sometimes these things cannot be
avoided. The only thing is to deal with
them the correct way. “This time, the
pressure of the competition was
aggravated by the pandemic. PCRs,
RATs, schedules, expectations and
fears, pressure to win have intensified
their stress,” Dr. Jayawickrama
reminded.
There are plenty of examples from
the competition itself. These are the
best and the toughest athletes in the
entire world, battling the tougher
opponent of mental health. Cricketer
Ben Stokes, Naomi Osaka in the
French Open all have had their mental
battles.
This Olympic has been mind over
body. This Olympic has been the
weight of emotions. At the same time,
it has been the loudest cry for mental
health and wellbeing. It is not just the
fragile, feeble, gentle but the tough,
smart and strong fall victim. The
victory was to come out bold with a
sound message.
C2 SUNDAY 29 AUGUST 2021
Dear
Afghanistan,
Dilshani Palugaswewa
pens an open letter to the
country under siege
Families evacuating Afghanistan
(pic courtesy AP)
When you deem it safer to
suspend yourself in the air from
only a tight grip around the landing
gear of an aeroplane rather than be
on the land you were lifted off of, it
doesn’t take too much to
understand how unsafe you feel to
be where you used to call home.
The horrific scenes we are seeing
in images from your land, is gut-
wrenching to say the least. The
world of hope you had created in
the last two decades have rendered
almost useless, just as much as the
bloodshed of troops who battled to
safeguard your people – if I didn’t
know better, I would perhaps have
thought that you were handed
power just so it could be taken
away years later.
Globally, however different our
political stance is, one thing we can
all agree on is that it could have
ended differently because this
catastrophic incompetence comes
at the cost of many, many civilians.
Headlines are already tracing
tragedies to torture and
heinousness. But what is done is
done, and now you are left
scrabbling to save your lives even if
it means separating from your
families to make it out alive. Your
people, out of no fault of their own
are essentially forced to stop living
and made to think twice before they
even budge–in fear, at a great risk
and in total chaos. Those who make
it onto rescue missions will soar for
a better landing but my heart aches
for those who will have to accept
their fate, hiding under bunkers
and seeking refuge in anguish,
amidst unrest.
Female children are already
driven out of schools for their own
safety, a large population displaced,
people out of work, and women
severely scrutinised and policed for
their every move – scared they
would make the slightest noise and
attract unwanted attention, they’d
rather stand still, in a veil that
shields them from head to toe. If I
imagine it correctly, perhaps scenes
from the movie A Quiet Place may
better encapsulate the picture for
the unversed, of your life post
falling into the arms of the Islamic
militia.
In simpler terms, it is
unimaginable. The pain and fear
you are put through is
indescribable. Your desperate pleas
are seen but going unheard. You
were given a promise but not rest
assured. For most of us helplessly
watching on in disbelief, all we can
do is lock you in our prayers and
hope that all the sacrifices you
made to progress before this time,
is worth your future.
I cannot say it will be alright but
one thing is for sure – your resilient
women and children have come so
far in the past 20 years. Their thirst
for knowledge, their dedication and
hard work is reflected in their
strength and their genuine desire to
free their nation of its barbaric rule
and ideologies. Your children were
born to a free-spirited land and
their taste of freedom is your hope
to have you back in safety – at least
that’s my wish for you.
Sincerely,
Calling on your safety
Hundreds of people gathered
outside Kabul Airport, Afghanistan
(pic courtesy AP)
MOSAIC ECHO
A Bit of Indiana
Jones, Tomb Raider
and Mummy
Review: Jungle Cruise
By Sanuj Hathurusinghe
Disney’s latest action-packed
family movie Jungle Cruise is doing
rather well in domestic as well as
worldwide Box Office charts,
especially given the fact that the
cinema industry by large is severely
affected by the ongoing pandemic.
The producers however, must be
heaving sighs of relief looking at the
steady ticket sales of the movie that
cast highest-paid actor in Hollywood
and has a whopping US$ 200 million
budget.
The story
Jungle Cruise features Dwayne
Johnson and Emily Blunt in the
main roles. The movie is based on
the famous Disney theme park Ride
and revolves around the
adventurous trip Lily Houghton
(Blunt) takes to the Amazon on a
boat captained by Frank Wolff
(Johnson) in search of an ancient
tree of which the flowers hold the
power to cure any illness, undo
curses, and basically revolutionise
the modern practice of medicine. The
movie takes place during the time of
World War II so the villain in the
movie comes in the manner of a Nazi
prince who wants to get his hands
on the flower to gain military
advantage to win the war. The heroic
duo, the evil prince, perils of the
Amazon, tribal people, and ancient
curses makes the just over two
hours of runtime of the movie much
enjoyable and entertaining.
Well, I say entertaining but it is not
as if the movie isn’t without its faults
and shortcomings. Before getting
into that, let’s focus on the positives
of the movie which actually are in
plenty. on screen, the movie seemingly based on their cruises and Jungle
First off, I was surprised to see didn’t have anything that screamed, Cruise was one of the rides the
that the director of the movie was “Watch me, watch me!” However, creators turned to. However, the
Jaume Collet-Serra whose forte thus suffice to say that I too in the end production never really kicked off
far has been horror and B grade involuntarily gave in to the subtle for a long time because of casting
action movies. Granted he is and not-so-subtle promotional difficulties and hardships of creating
facilitated with a big budget and a suggestions to actually await the an interesting story.
talented cast to work with but still, release date to watch it. As a stand-alone movie Jungle
suffice to say that Collet-Serra has Cruise is a pretty decent movie the
pulled off a reasonably good job.
The chemistry, whole family can enjoy but when
Promotion, done right electrifying considering it as what succeeds The
Pirates of the Caribbean franchise
One of the reasons why Johnson is On screen chemistry between the the flaws start to appear one after
the highest paid actor in Hollywood male and female leads is a must for the other.
is not because he is exceptionally the success of any movie. First off, the plot was so average.
talented or is a versatile actor. In Sometimes when the two actors There wasn’t any twist in the plot
fact, he is not among the good and meet off-screen for the first time that Hollywood hasn’t pulled off so
talented actors in Hollywood by a and just click, creating that spark, far and it felt as if the movie was a
long shot and his physique makes the directors make it a point to keep rather bit too heavy on the comedic
the spectrum of characters he can them separated until the day of surprisingly I might element, most probably to cover for
play severely limited. The ‘good guy’ filming so that the next time that add. the thin plot.
persona he maintains on and off spark is created it is before a Considering how light and Despite being a big-budget Disney
screen means that it is highly camera. entertaining the overall plot of the movie, the CGI of the movie felt a tad
unlikely that we will get to see the I don’t think the director of Jungle movie was, there wasn’t much bit too ‘artificial’, like the CGI in the
‘Brahma Bull’ in a villainous Cruise had to go to such lengths to acting for the actors to do since the new Jumanji movies which have a
character in a movie. recreate ‘spark’ on film because the majority of the success was considerably less budget. Costume
Despite all that, Johnson’s movies, Jonson-Blunt duo just clicked from dependant on the CGI and the jokes. designing was decent in the movie
even the crappiest, somehow end up the first time they meet in the movie For an actor who can’t really shake but when compared to the first
being good return on investment until the last scene. The funny, off his iconic eyebrow raise, pearl Pirates of the Caribbean movie
movies, earning well at Box Office, productive, and positive chemistry white smile, and the badass look which was released 18 years ago,
paid streaming, and in Blu-ray sales. the two actors have between them is regardless of what character he both CGI and costume designing of
This is most likely down to the fact of not just on-screen but is adorably plays, Johnson surprisingly Jungle Cruise need some serious
how Johnson maintains a positive visible in all of their promotional delivered a rather convincing reconsidering. Perhaps this is
and interactive social media videos as well. The two basically performance in Jungle Cruise. As a because the movie was made
presence with his millions of fans. stole every promotional video they fan of puns regardless how bad they during the pandemic and if that is
Seriously, apart from hitting the gym were on, pushing Whitehall, the are, I especially enjoyed the the case, the flaws are somewhat
and being on set it feels as if the rest actual comedian in the cast, to the on-cruise puns Johnson delivered. excused.
of the time he completely spends on side. There is a possibility that my All in all, the movie just about
social media posting videos, judgment is biased because I too justified the hype it created around.
commenting, promoting his brands
The Brahma Bull hits relate to Johnson’s character who There isn’t anything new in the
and movies, and being ‘largely’ bull’s eye with puns has the urge to make a pun movie but it is a movie that the
positive. regardless how perilous the whole family can enjoy, especially
It is all the same with Jungle Being a fan of Whitehall’s awkward situation is but even so, I think the kids. While the movie isn’t a let-
Cruise. It feels like forever since I first comedy I wanted to see how he Johnson has managed to surprise down it is safe to say that I won’t be
heard about the movie on Instagram. brought his persona to a Disney many of us with his performance in watching it again. The ending sort
Johnson started the promotion early movie but in this regard I was Jungle Cruise. of tied all the loose ends together so
and kept at it until the day the movie disappointed because his character there is a little chance of a sequel
was finally released in cinemas. To was the perfect example of the
Frank Wolff <<< Jack and I think it is for the best. As
be honest, the trailer didn’t interest ‘third wheel’. However, this is less Sparrow charming as Frank Wolff is I don’t
me that much and apart from other to do with how comparatively fewer think he stands a chance against
cast members such as Blunt, Jack lines and less screen time he had Since the success of The Pirates of Jack Sparrow who single-handedly
Whitehall, and Jesse Plemons and more to do with how well the Caribbean franchise Disney had pulled off all the Pirates of the
(Prince Joachim) whom I loved to see Johnson pulled off his character, always wanted to do another movie Caribbean movies he was in so far.
ECHO WILDLIFE
By Risidra Mendis
When Actor and Environmentalist
Leonardo Di Caprio said, “Climate
change is real. It is happening right
now, it is the most urgent threat facing
our entire species and we need to work
collectively together and stop
procrastinating,” it seemed like his was
a lone celebrity voice on climate change
at the time.
But his Oscar winning speech for
The Revenant was broadcast to over
34.4 million viewers and resulted in
one of the largest increases of public
involvement in climate change. Today,
countries around the world are still
battling climate change and the serious
effects it is having on the environment.
The tropical island nation of Sri
Lanka has a rich terrestrial and
aquatic reptilian fauna. However, like
most other tropical countries, the
threat of climate change to its reptile
diversity has not been adequately
addressed, in order to manage and
mitigate the extinction threats that
climate change poses.
To address this shortfall, a review on
international literature regarding
climate change impacts on reptiles was
undertaken by a group of scientists
with specific reference to national
requirements, focusing on predicted
changes in air temperature, rainfall,
water temperature, and sea level.
Reptiles and
climate change
Buddhi Dayananda of the School of
Agriculture and Food Sciences,
University of Queensland, Australia,
Simeon Bezeng from the Department of
Geography, Environmental
Management and Energy Studies,
University of Johannesburg, South
Africa and Department of Life and
Consumer Sciences, University of
South Africa, Suranjan Karunarathna
of the Nature Explorations and
Education Team, and Ross A. Jeffree
representing Jeffree Conservation and
Research, Australia, in their study on,
‘Climate Change Impacts On Tropical
Reptiles: Likely effects and future
research needs based on Sri Lankan
perspectives’, highlight the risk of
extinction to reptiles in the near future.
“This global information base was
then used to specify a national
programme of research and
environmental management for
tropical countries, which is urgently
needed to address the shortcomings in
policy-relevant data, its availability and
access so that the risks of extinction to
reptiles can be clarified and mitigated.
Climate change now looms as one of
the greatest threats to global
biodiversity as well as a formidable
force of global environmental change. It
is already exerting substantial adverse
impacts on different hierarchies of the
biosphere,” the Researchers said.
They explained that as the
atmospheric concentrations of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases
continue to increase, it is predicted
that climate change will cause
distributional shifts and altered
interactions in biological communities.
“In addition, climate change is
expected to accentuate species
extinction rates and lead to
impairment of ecosystem functions in
the coming decades. The scientific
community is constantly evaluating
the vulnerability of organisms and
ecosystems to climate change and
formulating mitigation and response
strategies that maybe implemented,”
they said.
Biodiversity hotspot
Karunarathna said Sri Lanka is
ranked as one of the world’s best
biodiversity hotspots due to its rich
reptile diversity with 235 described
species, of which 63.4 per cent are
endemic. “Reptiles as a phylogenetic
group have been relatively neglected in
biodiversity conservation studies in
general, relative to mammals, birds
and amphibians, and are clearly in
need of greater priority in relation to
climate change impacts. Key
approaches which have been identified
as holding promise include; the
identification of resilient landscapes
and climate refugia for native wildlife,
carbon-neutral and alternative-energy
initiatives, green infrastructure and
low-impact development, landscape-
scale conservation planning, and
sustainable use of natural resources
and energy sources,” Karunarathna
explained.
However, financial and human
resources available for such initiatives
are severely limited within a global
economy based on immediate
monetary gains coupled with
conservative socio-political views in
both developing and developed nations.
“Together with many other issues,
these factors give rise to low national
and international priorities for
biodiversity conservation. Given these
current economic and political
constraints, the most significant
challenges for conservation authorities
and natural resource managers in the
near future are the identification of
species and ecosystems which are
most vulnerable to climate change,
assessing species responses to climate
Reptiles
Losing Cool
The effects of the changing environment
on Sri Lankan herpetofauna
Climatically restricted and threatened reptile species in Sri-Lanka
change and the prioritisation of
planned conservation actions and
responses,” Karunarathna said.
He added that the 2008 Review of the
International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened
Species, introduced the major
characteristics that increase an
organism’s susceptibility to future
climate change. “These characteristics
of vulnerable species are broadly
classified as a highly specialised set of
niche dimensions such as; unique
habitat/resource needs or micro-
environmental conditions, narrow
environmental tolerances or thresholds
and poor ability to disperse to or
colonise suitable new habitats, and
species with a high site fidelity,”
Karunarathna explained.
Tropical ecosystems
The researchers are of the view that
several tropical species share one or
more of the above features pointing to
their enhanced vulnerability to climate
change-induced threats. “Numerous
studies based on both long-term field
surveys and bioclimatic modelling
have suggested that tropical
ecosystems are likely to be severely
impacted by climate change.
However, the impacts of climate
change on tropical biota remain
relatively understudied, and most
existing studies focus on South and
Central American tropical biomes,”
they said.
They say with respect to reptilian
diversity in Sri Lanka, nine chelonian
species in six families (five marine
turtles, three freshwater terrapins,
and one land tortoise) are recognised,
of which one species (Red Eared
Terrapin) has been introduced
through the pet trade. “Two species of
native crocodile and 118 lizard
species are found in the country, and
of these, 96 species are endemic to
Sri Lanka. Among the 118 lizard
species, the species-rich families are
the Gekkonidae (59 species),
Scincidae (32 species), and Agamidae
(21 species) with six endemic genera
(Ceratophora, Chalcidoseps,
Cophotis, Lankascincus,
Lyriocephalus, and Nessia).
Furthermore, 106 snake species
occur in the island of which 51
species are endemic, including the
genus Aspidura,” Karunarathna
explained.
The research has identified the
climatically restricted and threatened
reptile species in Sri Lanka as the
Ceratophora erdeleni – a critically
endangered and endemic lizard
species restricted to the Rakwana hill
zone, Geochelone elegans – a near
threatened land tortoise that is found
in the Dry and Intermediate Zone,
Aspidurabrachyorrhos – vulnerable
and representative of an endemic
genus of non-venomous snake species
that is found in the Central Highlands,
and the Calodactylodesillingworthorum
a vulnerable and endemic gecko found
in the Uva Savannah Zone.
Aspidura copei
Lacerta vivipara
Uta stansburiana
Monsoon system
As this study provides a body of
information to better identify the most
vulnerable species of reptiles, it is
envisaged as being of benefit to
wildlife managers in their choice of the
most appropriate management
strategies to mitigate climate change
impacts for the conservation of
reptiles in tropical and subtropical
countries.
“In Sri Lanka, the monsoon system
has already been observed to have
changed appreciably and seasonal
rainfall anomalies are already evident.
A decrease in the frequency of rainfall,
drier periods than previously, and
increases in the intensity of extreme
rainfall are now evident, including an
increased frequency of flooding. These
trends are expected to continue and
intensify. Moisture regimes, including
factors of soil hydrology, humidity,
and the hydrologic characteristics of
wetlands and aquatic habitats are
SUNDAY 29 AUGUST 2021
crucial environmental factors that
govern the embryonic development of
reptiles,” Karunarathna said.
He said water exchange by eggs with
the surrounding environment is
particularly important during the
incubation process and fresh water
turtles select well-drained, moist soil
for their egg-laying in close proximity
to wetlands. “Similarly, crocodiles and
alligators nest adjacent to large,
permanent water bodies. With the
observed trends in climate change,
many areas of the world that are rich
in reptile fauna, including Sri Lanka,
are getting drier and moisture-
stressed. As a result, oviparous reptiles
can be expected to suffer from egg
dehydration which can in turn lead to
decreased hatching success and small
hatchling size. Small-sized juveniles
can subsequently suffer increased
predation and can be weak in their
abilities for dispersal and general
motility,” Karunarathna explained.
C3
Slow growth
He added that dehydration-induced
physiological stressors during
embryonic development may well have
adverse, long-term fitness
consequences, such as slow growth
and development. “Among the Sri
Lankan herpetofauna, the two species
of terrapins (native and endemic), the
two species of crocodiles, and 13
species of snakes are identified as
likely to suffer from similar climate-
driven adversities,” Karunarathna
said.
They added that, “One of the most
direct and predictable effects of climate
change is an increase in mean air
temperature which has also been
clearly identified as a major threat to
reptiles in coming years. “Being
poikilotherms (an animal whose
internal temperature varies
considerably), reptiles are sensitive to
changes in their thermal landscape,
thus rising atmospheric temperatures
may lead to changes in reptilian
metabolism. Reptiles depend on
external environmental temperatures
to optimise their body temperature and
then their physiological performance
and behavioural activities such as
locomotion, digestion, growth, and
reproduction are strongly influenced
by environmental temperatures.”
The study reveals that continued
climate warming is expected to further
push environmental thermal regimes
beyond the optimal range to which
many reptiles have become adapted
and recent studies have verified that
climate change poses a serious threat
to reptile populations. Changes in
environmental temperature can alter
the body temperature of reptiles and
their physiological performance, which
is closely linked to their vulnerability to
extinction.
Body temperature increase
According to the study the capacity
of reptiles to perform physiological and
behavioural functions at different body
temperatures is described by their
thermal performance curve. “It falls
within critical limits and performance
reaches a maximum within an optimal
body temperature region. If their body
temperature increases above the
optimal body temperature, then their
performance drops rapidly. Body
temperatures higher than the optima
are known to create physiological
stress, reduced performance and
increased disease susceptibility,
ultimately leading to population
declines and extinctions. Due to
projected temperature increases the
metabolic rates of ectotherms (an
animal whose regulation of body
temperature depends on external
sources, such as sunlight or a heated
rock surface) could increase by 10 - 75
per cent,” the study reveals.
The Researchers are of the opinion
that such increases in metabolic rates,
coupled with reduced foraging time,
could be expected to negatively affect
population growth rates. “However, it
is true that some reptiles do inhabit
environments that are cooler than their
optimum average temperatures and
they may actually benefit from rising
temperatures. For example, in common
lizards, Lacerta vivipara, positive
correlations have been found between
rising summer temperatures and body
size, clutch size and total reproductive
effort. In side-blotched lizards (Uta
stansburiana) higher night-time
temperatures increased reproductive
success, hatchling size, and hatchling
survival. Some species may be able to
buffer small temperature changes, but
large temperature increases may force
many species to shift their distribution
to cooler climates,” Karunarathna
explained.
Highest human population
The Researchers stressed that many
reptile species are unlikely to cope
with changing climates because of
habitat fragmentation and natural
barriers to species movements. “With
specific regard to Sri Lanka (also in
tropical and subtropical regions) the
degree of habitat fragmentation is
much more severe in its south-western
region where much of the wilderness
remains as forest fragments which are
smaller than 100 square kilometres,
mainly due to infrastructure
development, particularly road
construction and industrial agriculture.
In fact Southwest Sri Lanka together
with the Western Ghats of India is said
to support the highest human
population density among the world’s
biodiversity hotspots,” Karunarathna
said.
They added that if warming trends
continue in tropical countries unabated,
then the inhabitants of the lowland
habitats will be forced to migrate to
higher elevations in search of the
optimal conditions. “The magnitude of
the effects of warming on reptiles will
depend on physiological and/or
behavioural plasticity and their
revolutionary adaptive capacities. Most
reptiles are able to control their body
temperature precisely via behavioural
and postural adjustments. Phenotypic
plasticity is a significant factor in
organisms in response to fluctuating
environmental conditions,” the study
explained.
c4 sunday 29 august 2021 Miscellaneous Echo

Fighting
Period Poverty
Fems Aya supporting women to
rise above with confidence
2021 Floods in It comes as no
Zhengzhou, surprise that in the
China (pic current context women
courtesy AFP) are busier than ever
with daily chores, added
responsibilities of

Resilience in
employment, and family
commitments. Despite
their busy schedule
many women do not
prioritise their own
health and hygiene,

a Riskier World
By Armida Salsiah
Alisjahbana
Over the past two decades, the
Asia-Pacific region has made
remarkable progress in managing
disaster risk. But countries can
never let down their guard. The
COVID-19 pandemic, with its
epicentre now in Asia, and all its
tragic consequences, has exposed
the frailties of human societies in
the face of powerful natural forces.
As of mid-August 2021, Asian and
Pacific countries had reported 65
million confirmed Coronavirus
cases and more than 1 million
deaths. This is compounded by the
extreme climate events which are
affecting the entire world. Despite
the varying contexts across
geographic zones, the climate
change connection is evident as
floods swept across parts of China,
India, and Western Europe, while
heatwaves and fires raged in parts
of North America, Southern
Europe, and Asia.
The human and economic
impacts of disasters, including
biological ones and climate change
are documented in our 2021 Asia-
Pacific Disaster Report. It
demonstrates that climate change
is increasing the risk of extreme
events such as heatwaves, heavy
rain and flooding, drought, tropical
cyclones, and wildfires. Heatwaves
and related biological hazards in
particular are expected to increase
in East and North-East Asia while
South and South-West Asia will
encounter intensifying floods and
related diseases. However, over
recent decades, fewer people have
been dying as a result of other
natural hazards such as cyclones
or floods. This is partly a
consequence of more robust early
warning systems and of responsive
protection but also because
Governments have started to
appreciate the importance of
dealing with disaster risk in an
integrated fashion rather than just
responding on a hazard-by-hazard
basis.
Nevertheless, there is still much
more to be done. As the COVID-19
pandemic has demonstrated, most
countries are still ill-prepared for
multiple overlapping crises – which
often cascade, with one triggering
another. Tropical cyclones, for
example, can lead to floods, which
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
lead to disease, which exacerbates
poverty. In five hotspots around the
region where people are at greatest
risk, the human and economic
devastation as these shocks
intersect and interact highlights
the dangers of the poor living in
several of the region's extensive
river basins.
Disasters threaten not just
human lives but also livelihoods.
And they are likely to be even more
costly in the future as their impacts
are exacerbated by climate change.
Annual losses from both natural
and biological hazards across Asia
and the Pacific are estimated at
around US$ 780 billion. In a worst-
case climate change scenario, the
annual economic losses arising
from these cascading risks could
rise to US$ 1.3 trillion – equivalent
to 4.2 per cent of regional Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
Rather than regarding the
human and economic costs as
inevitable, countries would do far
better to ensure that their
populations and their
infrastructure are more resilient.
This would involve strengthening
infrastructure such as bridges and
roads, as well as schools and other
buildings that provide shelter and
support at times of crisis. Above
all, Governments should invest in
more robust health infrastructure.
This would need substantial
resources. The annual cost of
adaptation for natural and other
biological hazards under the worst-
sanitary needs, and
related concerns which
can hold women back
from reaching their full
potential. According to a
Kantar LMRB
household research
case climate change scenario is conducted recently,
estimated at US$ 270 billion. unfortunately, 70 per
Nevertheless, at only one-fifth of cent of women do not
estimated annualised losses – or use a factory-
0.85 per cent of the Asia-Pacific manufactured sanitary
GDP, is affordable. napkin on a regular
Where can additional funds come basis.
from? Some could come from This is due to number
normal fiscal revenues. of reasons such as lack
Governments can also look to new, of proper knowledge on
innovative sources of finance, such menstrual health and
as climate resilience bonds, debt- hygiene, and not Movement, and wings, is manufactured
for-resilience swaps and debt relief prioritising their Sarvodaya Fusion in in line with
initiatives. personal hygiene. line with International international standards,
COVID-19 has demonstrated yet This raises a red flag Women’s Day which help women to
again how all disaster risks for a pressing issue in Celebrations. The core stay comfortable and
interconnect – how a public health the country, as it is not objective of this confident.
crisis can rapidly trigger an only about a majority of initiative is to address All raw materials used
economic disaster and societal menstruating women knowledge gaps in good in its manufacturing
upheaval. This is what is meant by not using sanitary menstrual hygiene. process adhere to
‘systemic risk,’ and this is the kind napkins regularly, but it Through this necessary safety
of risk that policymakers now need is more about how it campaign, Fems standards and it comes
to address if they are to protect their negatively impacts their continues to create with a soft cotton feel
poorest people. lives and stops them awareness among local sheet to provide comfort
This does not simply mean from chasing after their communities from rural to the user and wings to
responding rapidly with relief dreams, as it affects villages to plantation provide maximum
packages but anticipating their day-to-day lives workers and youth via protection. Fems AYA is
emergencies and creating robust for a few days each the knowledge partner a product with great
systems of social protection that will month. Young girls miss Arka Initiative. Fems value for money that
make vulnerable communities safer out on going to school with its partnership focuses on affordable
and more resilient. Fortunately, as which in turn affects with the MJF hygiene.
the Report illustrates, new their education and Foundation will be Commenting on the
technology, often exploiting the women who work and conducting training Fems AYA initiative and
ubiquity of mobile phones, is support their families programmes for the launch of the
presenting more opportunities to lose their income during plantation workers and sanitary napkin,
connect people and communities such days. the Sarvodaya Women’s Director – Marketing,
with financial and other forms of As a brand that Movement opens the Hemas Consumer
support. To better identify, prioritises the wellbeing opportunity to take this Brands Fiona Juriansz
understand and interrupt the of women, Fems – a initiative to the Munasinghe, said, “As a
transmission mechanisms of leading feminine grassroots levels to responsible local
COVID-19, countries have turned to hygiene care brand of educate rural women. company with
‘frontier technologies’ such as Hemas Consumer Sarvodaya Fusion entrenched roots in Sri
artificial intelligence and the Brands – intended to supports in conducting Lanka we feel it is our
manipulation of big data. They have address period poverty online awareness responsibility to lead
also used advanced modelling through two of its main sessions targetting such initiatives.
techniques for early detection, rapid identified causes; lack youth. It is heartening to see
diagnosis and containment. of awareness on proper The ongoing training that awareness
Asia and the Pacific is an menstrual health and programmes continue campaigns are proving
immense and diverse region. The hygiene practices, and to empower women with to be highly productive
disaster risks in the steppes of lack of accessibility to valuable knowledge on as we see a considerable
Central Asia are very different from high quality yet menstrual health and number of participants
those of the small island states in relatively low-cost hygiene, so that they for each session. The
the Pacific. What all countries sanitary napkin can pass the message to launch of Fems AYA,
should have in common, however, products. others within their the high-quality
are sound principles for managing In order to address networks. sanitary napkin for a
disaster risks in a more coherent the lack of awareness To help address the lower price is an
and systematic way – principles that concern, the ‘Fems AYA’ next major concern of important milestone in
are applied with political nationwide awareness affordability, Fems our journey to support
commitment and strong regional initiative was launched recently introduced a women rise above with
and sub-regional collaboration. together with other like- high quality and confidence.”
[The writer is the Executive minded partners such affordable sanitary The new ‘Fems AYA’
Secretary of the United Nations as The Merrill J. napkin. Sanitary napkin is now
Economic and Social Commission Fernando Foundation, Fems AYA, a high- available to purchase as
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)] the Arka Initiative, quality cotton feel 10-piece packs for a
Sarvodaya Women’s sanitary napkin with highly affordable price.

Swadeshi Khomba Aloka Pooja Sathkaraya

Illuminates Devundara Vishnu Devala and Aluthnuwara Dadimunda Devala
Swadeshi Industrial Works
PLC – the pioneer herbal and
personal care products
manufacturer – once again
illuminated the Devundara
Uthpalawarna Sri Vishnu Maha
Devala along with Aluthnuwara
Sri Dadimunda Maha Devala.
The Aloka Pooja was carried out
under the theme, ‘Swadeshi
Khomba Aloka Pooja
Sathkaraya,’ during the annual
Esala festival. Aluthnuwara Sri
Dadimunda Maha Devala was
illuminated by Swadeshi for the
second consecutive year.
Chairperson of Swadeshi
Amari Wijewardene said that as
a Sri Lankan owned company,
they consider it a duty to
safeguard the culture and
traditional heritage of Sri Lanka
by supporting activities such as
this annual Aloka Pooja.
She further observed that,
Swadeshi illuminates places of
worship in the country for the
benefit of all worshippers as
well as to educate the younger
generation on the importance of
safeguarding the country’s
heritage. The illumination is
followed by a colourful cultural
pageant which highlights Sri
Lankan traditions and history.
The original Uthpalawarna Sri
Vishnu Maha Devala, which
was destroyed by the
Portuguese was built by King
Dhapulusen in 661CE.
According to Buddhist
literature, the Buddha before he
passed away had asked the God
Shakra to protect Buddhism in
Sri Lanka. God Shakra had
entrusted this duty to the God
Uthpalawarna – meaning
‘colour blue’ – resembling the
colour of God Vishnu, hence the
Devundara Devala is known as
the Uthpalawarna Sri Vishnu
Deva Mandiraya.
Situated in the Kegalle
District, the Aluthnuwara Sri
Dadimunda Maha Devala was
built during the Dambadeniya
Period. It is believed that when
King Parakramabahu II was
passing through Aluthnuwara
on his way to Sri Pada, he was
very impressed with the place
and decided to donate the
property to the temple.
Buildings were added on to the
devala during the reign of King
Panditha Parakramabahu IV.
The place was known as
‘Nawatilakapura’ and later it
became ‘Aluthnuwara’.
Dedimunda Deiyo is the
guardian deity of the Buddha
Sasana in Sri Lanka.
In 2013 the Sri Dalada
Maligawa of the historic
Dambadeni Raja Maha Vihara,
where the Sacred Tooth Relic
was kept, and the ancient
murals were renovated by
Swadeshi to bring back its past
glory.
Wijewardene is the great
granddaughter of Helena
Wijewardene Lamatheni, who
initiated renovations of the
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara in
1927.
Swadeshi also supports the
annual Aloka Pooja of
Kataragama Kiri Vehera,
Ruhunu Maha Kataragama
Devala, Sella Kataragama
Devala, Mahanuwara Sri
Vishnu Maha Devala,
Sabaragamu Maha Saman
Devala, Redigama Ridi Vihara,
Lankathilaka Raja Maha
Vihara, Deraniyagala Saman
Devala, Ammaduwa Kuda
Kataragama Devala,
Dambadeniya Raja Maha
Vihara, and Keragala Raja
Maha Vihara.
As a 100 per cent local
company Swadeshi continues
its nation building and
community CSR projects for Sri
Lankan communities. The
Swadeshi Khomba brand is
dedicated to carrying out
sustainability projects which
focus on caring for Mother
Nature and enhancing cultural
values.
The company’s many
community outreach initiatives
include; hand washing sinks for
temples and railway stations,
education on hand washing
steps through a video targeting
children during the COVID-19
pandemic situation, Kohomba
tree planting campaigns,
donating water tanks for
communities in the dry zone of
Sri Lanka, Khomba Baby care
gifts to pregnant mothers, and
educating school children
through a Honda Purudu book,
highlighting good values.